U.S. patent application number 13/352650 was filed with the patent office on 2012-07-26 for print control server, print controlling method, and print control program.
This patent application is currently assigned to SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Hirotaka Akamatsu, Yasuhiro Furuta, Yasuhiro Oshima.
Application Number | 20120188600 13/352650 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 45655170 |
Filed Date | 2012-07-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120188600 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oshima; Yasuhiro ; et
al. |
July 26, 2012 |
Print Control Server, Print Controlling Method, and Print Control
Program
Abstract
A print control server includes a print request receiving
section which receives an e-mail to an e-mail address assigned to a
specific printer as a print request; an induction section which
transmits identification information related to the print request
to a source of the print request by an e-mail; a print control
demand receiving section which transmits the print control page
related to the print request after acquiring a print control page
demand based on the identification information, and receives a
print execution demand to the print request related to the print
control page; a data conversion section which creates the print
data based on the print request; and a print data transmission
section which transmits the print data to the specific printer
depending on the print execution demand.
Inventors: |
Oshima; Yasuhiro;
(Nagano-ken, JP) ; Akamatsu; Hirotaka;
(Nagano-ken, JP) ; Furuta; Yasuhiro; (Nagano-ken,
JP) |
Assignee: |
SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION
Tokyo
JP
|
Family ID: |
45655170 |
Appl. No.: |
13/352650 |
Filed: |
January 18, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
358/1.15 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 3/1288 20130101;
H04N 1/00244 20130101; G06F 3/1256 20130101; H04N 1/00421 20130101;
H04N 1/00411 20130101; H04N 1/00474 20130101; G06F 3/1228 20130101;
G06F 3/1292 20130101; H04N 1/00217 20130101; H04N 1/0044 20130101;
H04N 2201/0041 20130101; H04L 51/18 20130101; H04N 1/00424
20130101; H04N 2201/0065 20130101; H04N 1/00482 20130101; H04N
1/00506 20130101; H04N 1/00973 20130101; H04N 1/00212 20130101;
H04N 2201/0018 20130101; G06F 3/1205 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
358/1.15 |
International
Class: |
G06F 3/12 20060101
G06F003/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 21, 2011 |
JP |
2011-010577 |
Jan 31, 2011 |
JP |
2011-017632 |
Claims
1. A print control server comprising: a print request receiving
section which receives an e-mail addressed to an e-mail address
assigned to a specific printer as a print request; an induction
section which transmits identification information related to the
print request to a source of the print request by an e-mail; a
print control demand receiving section which acquires a print
control page demand based on the identification information from
the source of the print request, transmits the print control page
related to the print request to the source of the print control
page demand after acquiring the print control page demand, and
receives a print execution demand corresponding to the print
request related to the print control page; a data conversion
section which creates a print data based on at least one of a text
and an attached file of the print request; and a print data
transmission section which transmits the print data to the specific
printer in response to the print execution demand.
2. The print control server according to claim 1, wherein the print
control demand receiving section receives designation of a print
setting together with the print execution demand, and the data
conversion section creates the print data based on at least one of
the text and the attached file of the print request and the
received print setting.
3. The print control server according to claim 2, wherein the data
conversion section also creates a preview data depending on the
print setting based on at least one of the text and the attached
file of the print request, in addition to the print data, and a
preview image based on the preview data is laid out in the print
control page.
4. The print control server according to claim 3, wherein the print
control demand receiving section receives a change in print
setting, a preview demand, and a print execution demand
corresponding to the print request related to the print control
page, newly creates a preview data in response to the print
condition changed to the data conversion section after receiving
the change in print setting and the preview demand, and transmits
the print control page, in which the preview image based on the
newly created preview data is laid out, to the source of the print
control page demand.
5. The print control server according to claim 1, wherein the data
conversion section also creates a preview data depending on the
print setting based on at least one of the text and the attached
file of the print request in addition to the print data, and a
preview image based on the preview data is laid out in the print
control page.
6. A print controlling method comprising: receiving an e-mail
addressed to an e-mail address assigned to a specific printer as a
print request; transmitting identification information related to
the print request to a source of the print request by an e-mail,
and acquiring a print control page demand based on the
identification information from the source of the print request,
transmitting the print control page related to the print request to
the source of the print control page demand after acquiring the
print control page demand, and receiving a print execution demand
corresponding to the print request related to the print control
page; creating a print data based on at least one of a text and an
attached file of the print request; and transmitting the print data
to the specific printer depending on the print execution
demand.
7. A printing method comprising: transmitting an e-mail to an
e-mail address assigned to a specific printer from a terminal
device to a server set including at least one server as a print
request, wherein the terminal device receives an e-mail transmitted
from the server set depending on the print request, acquires
identification information related to the print request from the
received e-mail, and performs a print control page demand to the
serve set based on the identification information, the terminal
device acquires and displays the print control page, related to the
print request depending on the print control page demand,
transmitted from the server set, the terminal device performs a
print execution demand to the server set depending on the reception
of a print instruction from a user, the print terminal receives the
print data based on at least one of a text and an attached file of
the print request transmitted from the server set in response to
the print execution demand, and the specific printer prints the
print data.
Description
CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The entire disclosure of Japanese Patent Application Nos.
2011-010577, filed Jan. 21, 2011, and 2011-017632, filed Jan. 31,
2011, are incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention relates to a print control server, a
print controlling method, and a print control program.
Particularly, the invention relates to a cloud computing system
that is able to print a text or an attached file of an e-mail by
transmitting the e-mail to an e-mail address associated with a
printer.
[0004] 2. Related Art
[0005] In the related art, a cloud computing system is known which
includes a function of receiving the e-mail and printing the text
or the attached file of the e-mail (for example, JP-A-2008-71257).
The cloud computing system (hereinafter, simply referred to as a
print system) includes a server which creates print data
corresponding to a specific printer based on the text or the
attached file of the e-mail when receiving a specific e-mail, and a
printer which acquires the print data from the server to execute
the printing. Thus, a user of the print system is able to use a
printer even in a case where a printer driver is not installed to a
client such as a PC (Personal Computer), and a smart phone.
[0006] In the print system, when a registration processing of the
printer including an assignment of an e-mail address for receiving
the print target to the printer is performed in the server, a user
is able to use the printer by transmitting the e-mail by using the
e-mail address as a destination.
[0007] However, in such a print system of the related art, there is
a problem in that a user who transmits the e-mail to request the
printing is unable to perform a print control such as cancelling an
erroneous transmission, changing a print setting, or confirming a
preview image, by a simple method.
SUMMARY
[0008] An advantage of some aspects of the invention is to allow
the print control by a simple method in a cloud computing system
which is able to print at least one of a text and an attached file
of an e-mail by transmitting the e-mail to an e-mail address
associated with a printer.
[0009] (1) According to an aspect of the invention, there is
provided a print control server that includes a print request
receiving section which receives an e-mail destinated to an e-mail
address assigned to a specific printer as a print request; an
induction section which transmits identification information
related to the print request to a source of the print request by an
e-mail; a print control demand receiving section which acquires a
print control page demand related to the identification information
from the source of the print request, transmits the print control
page related to the print request to the source of the print
control page demand when acquiring the print control page demand,
and receives a print execution demand corresponding to the print
request related to the print control page; a data conversion
section which creates the print data based on at least one of the
text and the attached file of the print request; and a print data
transmission section which transmits the print data to the specific
printer depending on the print execution demand.
[0010] According to the invention, since the print control page is
transmitted from the server to the source of the print request, a
user who transmits the print request is able to determine whether
the printing is executed or stopped by operating the print control
page.
[0011] (2) In the print control server according to an embodiment
of the invention, the print control demand receiving section may
receive the designation of the print setting together with the
print execution demand, and the data conversion section may create
the print data based on at least one of the text and the attached
file of the print request and the received print setting.
[0012] In the case of adopting the configuration, a user who
transmits the print request can designate the print setting.
[0013] (3) In the print control server according to the embodiment
of the invention, the data conversion section may also create a
preview data depending on the print setting based on at least one
of the text and the attached file of the print request, in addition
to the print data, and a preview image based on the preview data
may be laid out in the print control page.
[0014] In the case of adopting the configuration, since the print
control page with the laid-out preview image is transmitted from
the server to the source of the print request, a user who transmits
the print request can confirm the preview image depending on the
print setting.
[0015] (4) In the print control server according to the embodiment
of the invention, the print control demand receiving section may
receive a change of the print setting, a preview demand, and a
print execution demand to the print request related to the print
control page, newly create the preview data depending on the print
condition changed to the data conversion section when receiving the
change of the print setting and the preview demand, and transmit
the print control page in which the preview image is laid out based
on the newly created preview data.
[0016] In the case of adopting the configuration, a user who
transmits the print request can be required to execute the printing
after confirming the preview image depending on the change of the
print setting.
[0017] (5) According to another aspect of the invention, there is
provided a printing method which includes transmitting an e-mail to
an e-mail address assigned to a specific printer from a terminal
device to a server set including at least one server as a print
request, wherein the terminal device receives the e-mail
transmitted from the server set depending on the print request,
acquires identification information related to the print request
from the received e-mail, and performs a print control page demand
to the serve set based on the identification information; the
terminal device acquires and displays the print control page
related to the print request depending on the print control page
demand from the server set; the terminal device performs a print
execution demand to the print request depending on the reception of
a print instruction from a user related to the print control page
in the server set; the print terminal receives the print data based
on at least one of a text and an attached file of the print request
transmitted from the server set depending on the print execution
demand; and the print terminal prints the print data.
[0018] According to an embodiment of the invention, when
communicating with the print control server to perform the
printing, a user who transmits the print request can determine
whether the printing setting is changed or stopped by operating the
print control page by using the terminal device.
[0019] In addition, functions of each sections described in the
aspect are realized by a hardware resource in which functions are
specified by the configuration itself, a hardware resource in which
functions are specified by a program, or a combination thereof.
Furthermore, the functions of each section are not limited to being
physically realized by hardware resources independent from each
other. Furthermore, the server may be realized as one server
device, and may be realized by the cooperation of a plurality of
server devices. In addition, the invention is also valid as a
device, a method, a system including the server, the terminal
device and the printer mentioned above, a computer program that
causes the server and the printer to realize the functions
mentioned above, and a recording medium of the program. Of course,
the recording medium of the computer program may be a magnetic
recording medium, an optical magnetic medium, and any recording
medium to be developed in future.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The invention will be described with reference to the
accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers reference like
elements.
[0021] FIG. 1 is a block diagram that shows a print system.
[0022] FIG. 2A is a block diagram that shows a configuration of a
server, and FIG. 2B is a block diagram that shows a configuration
of a printer.
[0023] FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram that shows a setup
sequence.
[0024] FIG. 4 is a sequence diagram that shows a login
sequence.
[0025] FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram that shows a print
sequence.
[0026] FIG. 6 is a flowchart that shows an induction e-mail
transmission processing.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a flow chart that shows an initial print control
page transmission processing.
[0028] FIG. 8A is a screen configuration diagram that shows a print
control page for a text, and FIG. 8B is a screen configuration
diagram that shows a print control page for an image.
[0029] FIG. 9 is a flow chart that shows a print control page
transmission processing.
[0030] FIG. 10 is a flow chart that shows a printing job creation
processing.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention will be
described with reference to the attached drawings. Furthermore, the
corresponding components in each drawing are denoted by the same
reference numerals, and the overlapping descriptions will be
omitted.
1. Configuration
[0032] FIG. 1 is a block diagram that shows a print system as an
embodiment of the invention. The print system is constituted by a
clouding computer system which is able to print a text and an
attached file of an e-mail by transmitting the e-mail to an e-mail
address associated with registered printers 4 and 5, and includes a
print control server 1, and a plurality of printers 4 and 5.
[0033] The print control server 1 of the present embodiment
includes a SMTP server 101, a data conversion service application
(AP) server 102, a data conversion server 103, an XMPP server 104,
a printer communication AP server 105, a DB server 106, an account
management AP server 107, a HTTP server 108, a contents management
AP server 109, and a HTTP server 110.
[0034] The SMTP server 101 is a server that has a function of
transmitting and receiving e-mail.
[0035] The data conversion service AP server 102 as a print request
receiving unit and an induction unit is an application server that
has a function of extracting the text and the attached file from
the e-mail received by the SMTP server 101 as the print request and
delivering the text and the attached file to the data conversion
server 103 as print targets.
[0036] The data conversion server 103 as the data conversion unit
is a server that has a function of converting the file acquired
from the data conversion AP server 102 as the print target into
preview data or print data.
[0037] The DB server 106 is a data base server that manages various
pieces of information of the printers 4 and 5, and stores the print
data and the preview data.
[0038] The XMPP server 104 is a server that has a function of
transmitting and receiving various parameters by communicating with
the printers 4 and 5 by the use of the XMPP.
[0039] The printer communication AP server 105 as the print data
transmission unit is an application server that has a function of
crating print standby information or the like.
[0040] The account management AP server 107 as the print control
request receiving unit is an application server that relays the
HTTP server 110 and another server, and has a function of
registering the printers 4 and 5 in the print system or crating the
print control page.
[0041] The HTTP server 108 is a server that has a function of
communicating with the printers 4 and 5 by the use of the HTTP.
[0042] The contents management AP server 107 is an application
server that relays the HTTP server 108 and another server, and has
a function of acquiring the printing job from the DB server 106 and
delivering the same to the HTTP server 108 or the like.
[0043] The HTTP server 110 is a server that has a function of
communicating with a guest terminal 2 as a terminal device and an
administrator terminal 3 as a terminal device by the use of the
HTTP.
[0044] As shown in FIG. 2A, each of the SMTP server 101, the data
conversion service AP server 102, the data conversion server 103,
the XMPP server 104, the printer communication AP server 105, the
DB server 106, the account management AP server 107, the HTTP
server 108, the contents management AP server 107, and the HTTP
server 110 includes a CPU 11, a RAM 12, a ROM 13, a hard disk
device (HDD) 14, an external interface (I/F) 15, and an internal
interface (I/F) 16 connecting them to each other. A boot program is
stored in the ROM 13. An operating system (OS) and a computer
program for realizing the respective functions mentioned above are
stored in the HDD 14. Such a program is loaded to the RAM 12 and is
executed by the CPU 11. The external I/F 15 includes an interface
for being connected with another server, printers 4 and 5, a guest
terminal 2, an administrator terminal 3 or the like via the
Internet, an interface for being connected with a peripheral device
or the like.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 2B, the respective printers 4 and 5 include
a controller 41, an external I/F 42, a user I/F 46, a printing
engine 43, and an internal I/F 47 connecting them to each other.
The controller 41 is constituted by a CPU, a nonvolatile memory, a
RAM, an ASIC or the like, and executes the processing for
controlling the operation of the printing engine 43 by executing
the print program stored in the nonvolatile memory. Furthermore,
the controller 41 executes the processing for communicating with
the terminal 3 and the print control server 1 by executing the web
service program stored in the nonvolatile memory, registering the
printers 4 and 5 in the print control server 1, or acquiring the
print data from the print control server 1. The print engine 43
includes an actuator for executing the printing by a known printing
method such as an ink jet method or a laser method, a sensor, a
driving circuit, and a mechanical component. The external I/F 42
includes an interface for being connected with the print control
server 1 and the administrator terminal 3 via an internet. The user
I/F 46 is an operation panel constituted by a display, an operation
key or the like.
[0046] Furthermore, although it is not shown, the guest terminal 2
and the administrator terminal 3 are computers that include a CPU,
a nonvolatile memory, a RAM, a user interface or the like and are
able to communicate with the print control server 1, the printers 4
and 5 or the like. In addition, the guest terminal 2 and the
administrator terminal 3 may be the same device.
2. Setup Sequence
[0047] The printers 4 and 5 are built in the print system and are
able to execute the printing according to the print request to be
received by the print server 1, by being registered in the print
control server 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram that shows a setup sequence
for registering the printers 4 and 5 in the print control server 1.
The present embodiment describes an example which registers the
printer 4 in the print control server 1 by operating the
administrator terminal 3 constituted by a PC (Personal Computer)
owned by an owner of the printer 4.
[0048] Firstly, the administrator 3 executing a web browser or the
like transmits the setup start demand to the printer 4 by
communicating with the printer 4 by the use of HTTP (S100). For
example, the administrator terminal 3 transmits a DNS mode, a
primary DNS, a secondary DNS, a proxy mode, an address of the proxy
server, and a photo number of the proxy server as a setup start
demand to a URL of the printer 4 corresponding to the setup start
demand by the use of the HTTP.
[0049] The printer 4 acquired the setup start demand starts a
registration processing, and transmits the registration state
information to the administrator terminal 3 (S102). The
registration state information includes success or failure of the
reception (success/failure), the DNS mode, the primary DNS, the
secondary DNS, the proxy mode, the address of the proxy server, the
photo number of the proxy server, a web service mode URS, a
registration state (registered/unregistered) of the printer 4 to
the printer control server 1, a URL of the management page
corresponding to the printer 4, a login password of the management
page corresponding to the printer 4, an e-mail address assigned to
the printer 4, a connection state between the HTTP server 108 and
the printer 4, and a connection state between XMPP server 104 and
the printer 4. At this stage, since the registration of the printer
4 to the print control server 1 is not performed, the registration
state information including a registration state "non-registration"
is transmitted to the administrator terminal 3.
[0050] The administrator terminal 3 received the registration state
information displays a setup status on a screen based on the
received state information (S104). At this stage, for example, a
text and an image indicating the state of being setup are displayed
on a screen of the administrator terminal 3 by a browser.
[0051] The printer 4 transmitted the registration state information
according to the setup start demand transmits a model-specific ID
of the printer 4, a serial number of the printer 4, and a deletion
flag of existing information as the registration demand
corresponding to the printer 4 to the URL of the HTTP server 108
corresponding to the registration demand by the use of HTTP
(S106).
[0052] The print control server 1 acquired the registration demand
in the HTTP server 108 registers the printer 4 in the print control
server 1 as an output device of the print system based on the
registration demand (S108).
[0053] Specifically, the account management AP server 107 that
acquired the parameter of the registration demand from the HTTP
server 108 allocates the internal ID corresponding to the
model-specific ID and the serial number of the printer 4, the XMPP
login password, the URL of the administration page, the
administration page password, and the e-mail address to the printer
4, while referring to the registration information of another
printer registered in the DB server 106 in advance. Even in a case
where the serial number is assigned to the printer by different
schemes for each model by allocating the internal ID based on the
model-specific ID and the serial number of the printer 4, it is
possible to reliably allocate the different internal ID for each
printer unit to the printer 4. The administration page is a web
page for editing information stored in the DB server 106 by the use
of the HTTP.
[0054] Moreover, the account management AP server 107 stores the
XMPP login password, the URL of the management page, the
administration page password, and the e-mail address on the DB
server 106 in association with the internal ID corresponding to the
model-specific ID and the serial number of the printer 4, as
registration information of the printer 4.
[0055] In addition, the account management AP server 107 registers
the e-mail address assigned to the printer 4 in the SMTP server
101. By registering the e-mail address assigned to the printer 4 in
the SMTP server 101, the print control server 1 is able to receive
the e-mail as the print request setting the printer 4 as the output
device.
[0056] Furthermore, the account management AP server 107 registers
the internal ID and the XMPP login password assigned to the printer
4 in association with each other in the XMPP server 104. The XMPP
JID, in which the XMPP server 104 communicates with the printer 4
by the use of the XMPP, is an "XMPP domain name of an internal ID
"@" XMPP server 104". By registering the internal ID and the XMPP
login password of the printer 4 in the XMPP server 104 as the XMPP
connection information, the printer 4 is able to communicate with
the print control server 1 by the use of XMPP. In addition, in the
case of providing a plurality of XMPP servers in the print control
server 1 for the load distribution, there is a need to allocate the
XMPP server corresponding to the printer for each printer and
register the same in the DB server 106.
[0057] The account management AP server 107, in which the printer 4
is registered in the print control server 1 as the output device of
the print system, transmits the registration result information of
the printer 4 to the printer 4, which is a source of the
registration request, via the HTTP server 108 (S110). The
registration result information includes the internal ID assigned
to the printer 4, the XMPP login password, the URL of the
management page, the management page password, the e-mail address,
the domain name of the XMPP server 104, and success or failure of
reception of the registration demand (success/failure). In
addition, in the case of providing a plurality of XMPP servers in
the print control server 1 for the load distribution, there is a
need to notify the domain name of the XMPP server assigned to the
printer 4 to the printer 4. However, in a case where the XMPP
server, with which all the printers registered in the print control
server 1 communicate, is common, there is no need to necessarily
notify the domain name of the XMPP server to the printer 4.
[0058] The printer 4, which acquires the registration result
information from the HTTP server 108, stores the internal ID
assigned to the printer 4, the XMPP login password, the URL of the
management page, the management page password, the e-mail address,
and the domain name of the XMPP server 104 on the nonvolatile
memory, creates the XMPP JID from the internal ID and the XMPP
domain name, and transmits the XMPP JID and the XMPP login password
to the XMPP server 104 as the XMPP connection information
(S112).
[0059] The XMPP server 104, which acquires the XMPP JID and the
XMPP login password from the printer 4, establishes the XMPP
connection with the printer 4, and transmits the XMPP connection
result (success/failure) to the printer 4 (S114). At this time,
when the XMPP connection succeeds, the XMPP connection between the
printer 4 and the XMPP server 104 is continued until the power to
the printer 4 is interrupted.
[0060] When the XMPP connection with the print control server 1 is
established, the printer 4 transmits the printer information to the
HTTP server 108 (S116). The printer information includes the
internal ID assigned to the printer 4, a version of communication
specification, menu type information of the printer (destination
information), sub menu type information of the printer (destination
information), and language information of the printer, and is
transmitted to the URL of the HTTP server 108 corresponding to the
printer information by the use of the HTTP. By transmitting the
printer information including the language information or the like
to the print control server 1, it is possible to create the print
data such as a registration report depending on the destination of
the printer 4, and the print report in the print control server
1.
[0061] The When the HTTP server 108 receives the printer
information from the printer 4, the contents management AP server
107 stores the printer information in the DB server 106 in
association with the internal ID, and transmits the reception
result (success/failure) to the printer 4 of the source (S118). The
printer information of the printer 4 is stored in the DB server 106
until the XMPP connection with the printer 4 is finished.
[0062] The printer 4, which receives the reception result (success)
of the printer information, transmits a registration result
notification job creation request to the HTTP server 108 (S122).
The registration result notification job is a print job for
printing the registration content of the printer 4 to the print
control server 1 by the printer 4. Specifically, the internal ID is
transmitted to the URL of the HTTP server 108 corresponding to the
registration result notification job creation request as the
registration result notification job creation request.
[0063] The HTTP server 108, which receives the registration result
notification job creation request, transmits the reception result
(success/failure) to the printer 4 of the source (S124).
[0064] When transmitting the reception result (success) of the
registration result notification job creation request from the HTTP
server 108, the print control server 1 creates the registration
result notification job for printing a registration report by the
printer 4 (S126). Specifically, firstly, the contents management AP
server 107 acquires the internal ID of the printer 4 from the
registration result notification job creation request, acquires
information to be notified to a user of the administrator terminal
3 such as the URL of the management page stored in association with
the acquired internal ID, the management page password, and the
e-mail address, and the device-specific ID of the printer 4 stored
in association with the internal ID from the OB server 106, and
delivers the same to the printer communication AP server 105. Next,
the printer communication AP server 105 requests the data
conversion service AP server 102 for the creation of the print data
for printing information to be notified to a user of the
administrator terminal 3 as a registration report by the printer 4
in association with the job ID and the model ID. The requested data
conversion service AP server 102 creates the print data
corresponding to the model-specific ID in the data conversion
server 103. Next, the printer communication AP server 105 acquires
the print data from the data conversion server 103 and stores the
same as the print job of the printer 4 in the DB server 106 in
association with the internal ID and the job ID.
[0065] The print control server 1 crating the registration result
notification job notifies an occurrence of new print job to the
printer 4 of the source of the registration request by the use of
XMPP (S128). Specifically, the printer communication AP server 105
notifies print standby information indicating an occurrence of new
print job of the printer 4 via the XMPP server 104 to the printer
4. At this time, the XMPP server 104 specifies a partner of the
XMPP communication to the printer 4 based on the internal ID
acquired from the printer communication AP server 105, and
transmits the print standby information to the printer 4 by the use
of XMPP. In this manner, since the print standby information is
transmitted by the use of XMPP, the print control server 1 can
autonomously perform the processing after the print job is created,
until the print standby information is transmitted to the printer 4
and thus, there is no need for polling from the printer 4. Thus, it
is possible to immediately notify the creation of the print job to
the printer 4, and it is possible to notify the creation of the
print job to the printer 4 by a minimum communication amount.
[0066] The printer 4 acquired the print standby information
transmits and receives the reception result (success/failure) to
and from the XMPP server 104 by the use of XMPP (S138).
[0067] Next, the printer 4 request the print control server 1 of
the print job information required for acquiring the print data
(S140). Specifically, the printer 4 transmits the internal ID of
the printer 4 to the URL of the HTTP server 108 corresponding to
the demand of the print job information by the use of the HTTP.
[0068] The print control server 1 received the demand of the print
job information transmits the reception result (success/failure),
the job ID, the URL of the HTTP server 108 corresponding to the job
ID, and the type of the page description language of the print page
to the printer 4 as the print job information (S142). Specifically,
the contents management AP server 107 acquires the internal ID
acquired by the HTTP server 108 as a demand of the print job
information, acquires the job ID stored in association with the
internal ID, the print data, and the page description language of
the print data from the DB server 106, and delivers the same to the
HTTP server 108. The HTTP server 108 creates the URL receiving the
acquisition demand of the print data corresponding to the job ID,
and transmits the reception result (success/failure), the job ID,
the URL the acquisition demand of the print data, and the type of
the page description language of the print data to the printer 4 as
the print job information by the use of the HTTP.
[0069] The printer 4 which acquired the print job information waits
until the printer 4 enters an idle state, and when entering the
idle state, the printer 4 demands the print data (S146).
Specifically, the printer transmits the internal HTTP of the
printer 4 as the acquisition demand of the print data to the URL of
the HTTP server 108 receiving the acquisition demand of the print
data via the HTTP.
[0070] The print control server 1 demanded for the print data
transmits the reception result (success/failure) and the demanded
print data to the printer 4 by the use of the HTTP (S148).
Specifically, the HTTP server 108 transmits the print data
corresponding to the URL receiving the demand of the print data and
the reception result to the printer 4 by the use of the HTTP.
[0071] The printer 4 acquired the print data executes the printing
of the registration report based on the print data (S150).
[0072] The printer 4, in which the printing has been finished,
transmits the execution result information to the HTTP server 108
(S154). Specifically, the printer 4 transmits the internal ID of
the printer 4, the job ID executed the printing, the execution
result (success/failure) of the print job, a generated reason of
the execution result (normal, a paper jam, running out of ink or
the like) to the URL corresponding to the execution result
information of the HTTP server 108 (S152).
[0073] The print control server 1, which acquired the execution
result information in the HTTP server 108, renews the print job
based on the execution result information (S156). Specifically, the
HTTP server 108 transmits the reception result (success/failure) of
the execution result information to the printer 4, and the contents
management AP server 107 deletes the print data corresponding to
the job ID from the DB server 106, based on the execution result
information received by the HTTP server 108.
[0074] During execution of the setup sequence mentioned above, the
administrator terminal 3 which transmitted the setup start demand
regularly demands of the printer 4 the setup status (S130).
Specifically, the administrator terminal 3 transmits the status of
setup to the URL of the printer 4 corresponding to the demand of
the setup status.
[0075] The printer 4 received the demand of the setup status
transmits the registration state information to the administrator
terminal 3 by the use of the HTTP (S132). The registration state
information is the same as the content transmitted to the
administrator terminal 3 by the printer 4 in S102 immediately after
acquiring the setup start demand.
[0076] Like S104, the administrator terminal 3 received the
registration state information displays the registration state
based on the received registration state information on a screen
(S134). In the step in which the registration of the printer 4 to
the print control server 1 is completed, for example, the URL of
the management page, the management page password, the e-mail
address or the like are displayed on the screen of the
administrator terminal 3.
[0077] In the setup sequence mentioned above, in the process of
registering the printer 4 in the print control server 1 while being
connected to the printer 4 by the use of the HTTP (Hyper Text
Transfer Protocol) and XMPP (eXtensible Messaging and Presence
Protocol), success or failure of the reception of the registration
demand, the registration result information, the XMPP connection
result, the reception result of the printer information, and the
reception result of the registration result notification job
creation request are transmitted from the print control server 1 to
the printer 4. Such information indicates whether the HTTP
connection and XMPP connection between the printer 4 and the print
control server 1 succeed, and whether the registration required for
processing the print demand of the printer 4 by the print control
server 1 is performed. Thus, the printer 4 can prints success or
failure of the connection between the printer 4 and the print
control server 1, and success or failure of the registration of the
printer 4 to the print control server 1, or can display then on the
display of the user I/F 46. For this reason, by transmitting the
e-mail to the e-mail address associated with the printer 4, it is
possible to reliably to notify a user whether or not the printer 4
is registered in the print system which is a cloud computing system
capable of printing the text or the attached file of the
e-mail.
3. Login Sequence
[0078] FIG. 4 is a diagram that shows a login sequence. The login
sequence is started when a user presses a power button of the
printer 4 to interrupt the power and then presses the power button
again to turn on the power. In the login sequence, the printer 4
performs the initialization processing of each section, establishes
the XMPP connection with the print control server 1, and confirms
the print job.
[0079] Specifically, like the setup sequence S112, the printer 4
transmits the XMPP connection information to the XMPP server 104
(S200). The XMPP server 104 acquired the XMPP connection
information establishes the XMPP connection like S114 (S204).
[0080] The printer 4, which established the XMPP connection with
the print control server 1, transmits the printer information to
the print control server 1 by the use of the HTTP, like S116 of the
setup sequence (S206). That is, the transmission of the printer
information is performed whenever the XMPP connection is
established between the printer and the print control server 1. The
server acquired the printer information transmits the reception
result to the printer 4 by the use of the HTTP, like S118, and
stores the printer information until the XMPP connection is
finished (S208).
[0081] The printer 4, which transmitted the printer information to
the print control server 1, demands the print control server 1 of
the print job information by the use of the HTTP, like S140 of the
setup sequence (S212). The print control server 1 acquired the
demand of the print job transmits the print job information to the
printer 4 by the use of the HTTP, like S142 (S214). If there is a
print job, the printer 4 which acquired the print job information
demands the print data to execute the printing. In this manner, the
printer 4 automatically acquires the print job information after
the power is turned on, whereby the printer 4 is able to execute
the print job created in the print control server 1 in the process
of blocking the power immediately after putting the power.
4. Print Sequence
[0082] FIG. 5 is a diagram that shows a print sequence. The print
sequence is started by transmitting the e-mail as the print request
from the administrator terminal 3 or the guest terminal 2 to the
registered e-mail address (S300). As described later, the print
control server 1 processes the text and the attached file of the
e-mail received in the registered e-mail address as the print
target. For this reason, when a user transmits the e-mail by using
the print target as the text or the attached file, the e-mail is
processed by the print control server 1 as the print request. As
described above, the destination e-mail addresses of the print
request different from each other for each printer is
screen-displayed in the administrator terminal 3 in the setup
sequence, or is printed by the printer 4. Thus, an administration
user, who registers the printer 4 in the print control server 1 by
the use of the administrator terminal 3, and a guest user, who is
notified of the e-mail address from the administration user, can
transmit the print request of the printer 4 to the print control
server 1 by the use any terminal connected to the internet.
Hereinafter, the e-mail as the print request is transmitted from
the guest terminal 2 to the e-mail address corresponding to the
printer 4.
[0083] When receiving the print request, the print control server 1
transmits the induction e-mail including the URL as identification
information related to the print request to the source of the print
request (S302). Hereinafter, the details of the transmission
processing of the induction e-mail are also described with
reference to the flow chart of FIG. 6.
[0084] The e-mail as the print request is received by the SMTP
server 101. When the SMTP server 101 receives the e-mail addressed
the registered e-mail address, the data conversion service AP
server 102 specifies the internal ID related to the print request
from the e-mail address received the print request, acquires and
analyzes the e-mail from the SMTP server 101, extracts the text and
the attached file to which the data conversion server 103
corresponds as the print target, and allocates the internal ID and
the job ID to the extracted print target for each file (S3020).
Herein, the data conversion service AP server 102 specifies the
internal ID related to the print request, that is, the internal ID
assigned to the printer 4, by acquiring the internal ID related to
the destination e-mail address of the print request from the DB
server 106. In addition, when the e-mail is attached with the
attached file to which the data conversion server 103 does not
correspond, the e-mail using the source of the print request as the
destination is transmitted and the error is notified, without
allocating the internal ID and the job ID to the attached file.
Moreover, the internal ID and the job ID are assigned only to the
text, and the attached file to which the data conversion server 103
corresponds.
[0085] Next, the data conversion service AP server 102 creates the
preview data for each job ID by the use of the data conversion
server 103 (S3022). Specifically, the data conversion service AP
server 102 specifies the internal ID and the model ID of the
printer 4 corresponding to the e-mail address which is the
destination of the e-mail by referring to the DB server 106. Next,
the data conversion service AP server 102 delivers the initial
print setting and the print target in association with each other
to the data conversion server 103. The data conversion server 103
converts each of the acquired print targets into the preview data
depending on the initial print setting.
[0086] Next, the data conversion service AP server 102 stores the
print target and the preview data on the DB server 106 in
association with the internal ID and the job ID (S3024).
[0087] Next, the data conversion service AP server 102 includes the
URL of the HTTP server 110 corresponding to the job ID in the text,
creates the induction e-mail using the source of the print request
as the destination, and transmits the same to the guest terminal 2
via the SMTP server 101 (S3026). The data conversion service AP
server 102 associates the URL with the print request by including
the job ID in the URL included in the text of the induction e-mail.
When a plurality of print targets is extracted from the print
request the URL included in the induction e-mail is associated with
the job ID assigned to the printed target extracted initially. In
this manner, the URL partially including the job ID is referred to
as the induction URL. As mentioned above, the details of the
transmission processing of the induction e-mail have been
described.
[0088] When a user of the guest terminal 2 received the induction
e-mail opens the induction e-mail and clicks the induction URL,
initial print control page request is transmitted to the print
control server 1 (S304). Specifically, a mail user agent of the
guest terminal 2 displayed the text of the induction e-mail
transmits the induction URL as the initial print control page
request via a web browser by the user of the HTTP.
[0089] The print control server 1, which acquired the print control
page request in the induction URL, transmits the initial print
control page related to the print request to the guest terminal 2
of the source of the initial control page demand (S306).
Hereinafter, the details of the transmission processing of the
initial print control page will also be described with reference to
the flow chart of FIG. 7.
[0090] The initial print control page demand is acquired in the
induction URL by the HTTP server 110. When the HTTP server 110
acquires the initial print control page demand, the account
management serve 107 acquires the job ID from the induction URL
(S3060).
[0091] Next, the account management AP server 107 acquires the
preview data related to the job ID from the DB server 106
(S3062).
[0092] Next, the account management AP server 107 creates the
initial print control page (S3064). The initial print control page
is transmitted to the initial print control page demand among the
print control pages shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The print control
pages include a text print control page corresponding to a
text-based print target shown in FIG. 8A, and an image print
control page corresponding to an image-based print target shown in
FIG. 8B. The account management AP server 107 determines which
print control page is generated, based on the extension of the file
to be printed.
[0093] As shown in FIG. 8A, on the text print control page, a
setting target selecting drop-own list 65, a paper size selecting
drop-own list 61, a duplex print selecting drop-down list 62, a
layout selection drop-down list 63, a copy number selecting text
box 64, a print button 67, a re-preview button 68, a cancellation
button 69, and a preview image 66 are placed.
[0094] As shown in FIG. 8B, on the image print control page, the
setting target selecting drop-down list 65, the paper size
selecting drop down list 61, an automatic image quality adjustment
selecting drop-down list 71, an image quality selecting drop-down
list 72, the copy number selecting text box 64, the print button
67, the re-preview button 68, the cancellation button 69, and the
preview image 66 based on the preview data.
[0095] When the initial print control page is created, the items
corresponding to the predetermined initial print setting are
selected in the paper size selecting drop-down list 61, the duplex
print selecting drop-down list 62, the layout selecting drop down
list 63, the copy number selecting text box 64, the automatic image
quality adjustment selecting drop-down list 71, and the image
quality selecting drop-down list 72. The setting target selecting
drop-down list 65 is to select the job ID in which the print
setting is changed by the drop-down list. When the initial print
control page is created, in a case where there is a plurality of
print targets corresponding to one print request, the initially
assigned job ID becomes a selection item of the setting target
selecting drop-down list 65, and a file name of the print target
corresponding to the job ID is displayed.
[0096] Next, the account management AP server 107 transmits the
initial print control page to the source of the initial print
control page demand via the HTTP server 110 (S3066). As mentioned
above, the details of the transmission processing of the initial
print control page have been described.
[0097] When the initial print control page is transmitted from the
print control server 1, the initial print control page is displayed
by the web browser of the guest terminal 2 (S308). A use of the
guest terminal 2 can select the job ID which changes the print
setting by the operation of the setting target selecting drop-down
list 65 of the initial print control page, can change the print
setting by operating the drop-down lists 61, 62, 63, 65, 71, and 72
of the initial print control page and the text box 64, can transmit
the print execution demand by clicking the print button 67 of the
initial print control page, and can demand the print control page
in which the preview image of another job ID and the preview image
corresponding to the print setting after the change are laid out by
clicking the re-preview button 68. In addition, even if the
re-preview button 68 is not clicked, the print control page may be
demanded in which the preview image of another job ID and the
preview image corresponding to the print setting after the change
are laid out, depending on the operation of any item.
[0098] Herein, the re-preview button 68 is clicked in the state in
which the selection item is changed by the operation of the
drop-down list 63. As a consequence, the print control page demand
is transmitted from the guest terminal 2 to the print control
server 1 (S310). The print control page demand is a HTTP request
which transmits the selection item of the drop-down lists 61, 62,
63, 65, 71, and 72 and a numerical value of the text box 64 to the
induction URL embedded in the re-preview button 68.
[0099] The print control server 1 which acquired the print control
page demand in the induction URL embedded in the re-preview button
68, transmits the print control page related to the print request
to the guest terminal 2 which is the source of the print control
page demand (S312). Hereinafter, the details of the transmission
processing of the print control page will also be described with
reference to the flow chart of FIG. 9.
[0100] The print control page demand is acquired by the HTTP server
110. When the HTTP server 110 acquires the print control page
demand, the account management AP server 107 acquires the job ID
and the print setting from the print control page demand (S3120).
The job ID corresponds to the selection item of the setting target
selecting drop-down list 65. The print setting corresponds to the
selection items of the drop-down lists 61, 62, 63, 71, and 72 and
the numerical value of the text box 64.
[0101] Next, the account management AP server 107 acquires the
print target related to the job ID acquired in S3120 from the DB
server 106 (S3122). Furthermore, at this time, the account
management AP server 107 deletes the preview data related to the
job ID from the DB server 106.
[0102] Next, the account management AP server 107 creates the
preview data of the print target depending on the print setting by
the use of the data conversion server 103 (S3124). Specifically,
the account management AP server 107 delivers the print target
acquired from the DB server 106 and the print setting acquired from
the print control page demand in association with each other to the
data conversion server 103. The data conversion server 103 converts
the acquired print target into the preview data depending on the
acquired printing setting.
[0103] Next, the account management AP server 107 creates the print
control page in which the preview image 66 based on the newly
created preview data is laid out (S3126). When the print control
page is created, the item corresponding to the print setting
acquired from the print control page demand is selected in the
paper size selecting drop-down list 61, the duplex print selecting
drop-down list 62, the layout selecting drop-down list 63, the copy
number selecting text box 64, the automatic image quality
adjustment selecting drop-down list 71, and the image quality
selecting drop-down list 72. In the selecting target selecting
drop-down list 65, the job ID acquired from the print control page
demand is selected, and the file name corresponding to the job
ID.
[0104] Next, the account management AP server 107 transmits the
print control page to the source of the print control page demand
via the HTTP server 110 (S3128). As mentioned above, the details of
the transmission processing of the print control page will be
described.
[0105] When the print control page is transmitted from the print
control server 1, the print control page is displayed by the web
browser of the guest terminal 2 (S314). Similar to the state in
which the initial print control page is displayed, a user of the
guest terminal 2 can select the job ID which changes the print
setting by the operation of the setting target selecting drop-down
list 65 of the print control page, can change the print setting by
operating the drop-down lists 61, 62, 63, 64, 71, and 72 of the
print control page and the text box 64, can transmit the print
execution demand by clicking the print button 67 of the print
control page, and can demand the print page in which the preview
image of another job ID and the preview image corresponding to the
print setting after the change are laid out by clicking the preview
button 68 again. That is, the processing depending on the operation
of the initial print control page is exactly the same as the
processing corresponding to the operation of the print control
page.
[0106] Now, the print button 67 is clicked. In this case, the print
execution demand is transmitted from the guest terminal 2 to the
print control server 1 (S316). The print execution demand is a HTTP
request that transmits the selection item of the drop-down lists
61, 62, 63, 65, 71, and 72 and the numerical value of the text box
64 to the induction URL embed in the print button 67. When there is
a plurality of print targets, the clicking of the print button 67
is received for each print target and the print execution demand is
transmitted for each print target. However, the setting performed
for each print target may be stored, and the print execution demand
may be transmitted to all the print targets depending on one click
of the print button 67. In addition, any check box may be removed
from the print target, for example, by providing a check box which
does not print the print page, by allowing "0" in the copy number
setting, or the like.
[0107] The print control server 1, which required the print
execution demand in the induction URL embedded in the print button
67, creates the print job depending on the print execution demand
(S318). Hereinafter, the creation processing of the print job will
be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 10. In
addition, when there is a plurality of print targets, the print
execution demand of all print targets is acquired, or after
acquiring the print execution demand of a partial print target,
waits until a timeout, and then the print jobs depending on all the
acquired print execution demand are sequentially created.
[0108] The print execution demand is acquired by the HTTP server
110. When the HTTP server 110 acquires the print execution demand,
the account management AP server 107 acquires the job ID and the
print setting from the print execution demand. Next, the account
management AP server 107 delivers the acquired job ID and the print
setting to the printer communication AP server 105 (S3180).
[0109] Next, the printer communication AP server 105 acquires the
print target and the model ID corresponding to the acquired job ID
from the DB server 106 (S3182).
[0110] Next, the printer communication AP server 105 creates the
print data depending on the model and the print setting from the
acquired print target by the use of the data conversion server 103
(S3184). Specifically, the printer communication AP server 105
delivers the acquired print target, the print setting, and the
model ID to the data conversion server 103. Next, the data
conversion server 103 converts each of the acquired print targets
into the print data corresponding to the model of the printer 4 and
the print setting, based on the model ID and the print setting. At
this time, the data conversion server 103 creates the print data by
a text-specific page description language if the print target is a
text base. The data conversion server 103 creates the print data by
an image-specific page description language if the print target is
an image base. Whether the print target is the text base or the
image base is determined based on the extension of the file
acquired as the print target. When the print data is created, the
printer communication AP server 105 stores the print data on the DB
server 106 as the print job of the printer 4 by being associated
with the internal ID and the job ID of the printer 4.
[0111] Next, the print control server 1 transmits the print standby
information of the print control server 1 to the guest terminal 2,
which is a client of the print execution demand, by the use of the
XMPP (S320). Specifically, like S128 of the setup sequence, the
printer communication AP server 105 notifies the print standby
information to the printer 4 by the use of the XMPP. In this
manner, since the print standby information is transmitted by the
use of the XMPP, the print control server 1 can autonomously
execute the processing after the print request is received and
until the print standby information is transmitted to the printer
4, and there is no need for polling from the printer 4. For this
reason, the creation of the print job can immediately be notified
to the printer 4, and the creation of the print job can be notified
to the printer 4 by a minimum communication amount.
[0112] The printer 4 acquired the print standby information
transmits the reception result (success/failure) to the XMPP server
104 by the use of the XMPP, like S138 of the setup sequence
(S322).
[0113] Next, like S140, the printer 4 demands the print control
server 1 of the print job information required for acquiring the
print data by the use of the HTTP (S324). Specifically, the printer
4 transmits the internal ID of the printer 4 to the URL of the HTTP
server 108 corresponding to the demand of the print job information
by the use of the HTTP.
[0114] Like S142, the print control server 1 received the demand of
the print hob information transmits the reception result
(success/failure), the job ID, the URL of the HTTP server 108
corresponding to the job ID, and the type of the page description
language of the print job as the print job information to the
printer 4, by the use of the HTTP (S326). When the print target
includes a plurality of files, the ID and the URL for each file are
transmitted to the printer 4 as the print job information.
[0115] Like S146, the printer 4 acquired the print job information
waits until the printer 4 enters an idle state, and, when entering
the idle state, the printer 4 demands the transmission of the print
data by transmitting the URL receiving the acquisition demand of
the print data to the HTTP server 108 (S328). At this time, when a
plurality of job IDs is included in the acquired print job
information, the printer 4 demands the transmission of the print
data for each job ID.
[0116] The HTTP server 108, which is demanded for the transmission
of the print job, like S148, transmits the reception result
(success/failure), and the print data associated with the URL
receiving the acquisition demand of the print data to the printer 4
by the sue of the HTTP (S330).
[0117] Like S150, the printer 4 acquired the print data executes
the printing based on the print data (S332).
[0118] Like S154, the printer 4 finished the printing transmits the
execution result information of the print job to the HTTP server
108 (S334).
[0119] The print control server 1, which acquired the execution
result information in the HTTP server 108, renews the print job
based on the execution result information, like S156, and deletes
the preview data corresponding to the print job in which the
execution is completed (S336). Herein, the contents management AP
server 107 deletes the preview data stored in the DB server 106 in
association with the job ID acquired from the execution result
information, thereby deleting the preview data corresponding to the
print job in which the execution is completed.
[0120] Next, the print control server 1 transmits the execution
result (success/failure) to the guest terminal 2, which is the
source of the print request, by the e-mail (S338). Specifically,
the contents management AP server 107 creates the e-mail which sets
the text indicating success or failure of the printing and the
print target, in which the printing is completed or fails, as a
text, and sets the destination as the guest terminal 2 which is the
source of the print request, and transmits the created e-mail to
the guest terminal 2 via the SMTP server 11.
[0121] When the guest terminal 2 receives the e-mail (S340), a user
of the guest terminal 2 can know the processing result of the print
request.
[0122] The processes from S328 to S340 are executed for each print
job in the sequence stored in the DB server 106. For example, when
the acquired print job information includes the job ID
corresponding to the e-mail text, and the job ID corresponding to
the attached file "A", and the print job corresponding to the
e-mail text is previously stored in the DB server 106, the printer
4 acquires the print data corresponding to the e-mail text to
execute the printing by transmitting the first URL corresponding to
the e-mail text to the HTTP server 108, and transmits the execution
result information to the HTTP server 108. When the HTTP server 108
receives the execution result information, the contents management
AP server 107 deletes the print job corresponding to the e-mail
text from the DB server 106, based on the execution result
information acquired from the HTTP server 108. Moreover, the
contents management AP server 107 transmits the completion of the
print job corresponding to the e-mail text to the guest terminal 2
by the e-mail via the SMTP server 101. Next, the printer 4 acquires
the print data corresponding to the attached file "A" to execute
the printing by transmitting a second URL corresponding to the
attached file "A" to the HTTP server 108, and transmits the
execution result information to the HTTP server 108. When the HTTP
server 108 receives the execution result information, the contents
management AP server 107 deletes the print job corresponding to the
attached file from the DB server 106, based on the execution result
information acquired from the HTTP server 108. Moreover, the
contents management AP server 107 transmits the completion of the
print job corresponding to the attached file to the guest terminal
2 by the e-mail via the SMTP server 101.
[0123] In addition, when the cancellation button 69 of the print
control page is clicked, the print stop demand is transmitted from
the guest terminal 2 to the print control server 1, and in the
print control server 1, the preview data and the print target are
deleted from the DB server 106.
[0124] In the print sequence mentioned above, since the print
control page allowing a change in print setting by the use of the
web browser is transmitted to the source of the print request, a
user who transmitted the print request can change the print setting
by a simple method. Furthermore, since the preview image is laid
out in the initial print control page and the print control page, a
user who transmitted the print request can demand the print
execution after confirming the preview image. Furthermore, when
changing the print setting in the first print control page and the
print control page, the print execution can be demanded after
confirming the preview image depending on the print setting after
the change.
5. Another Embodiment
[0125] Furthermore, a technical scope of the invention is not
limited to the embodiments mentioned above, but various
modifications can of course be added within the scope not departing
from the gist of the invention, in addition to the embodiments and
a combination thereof described later.
[0126] For example, in the embodiment mentioned above, an example
has been described in which the administrator terminal 3 is
operated and the printer 4 is registered to the print control
server 1, but a user may operate the user I/F 46 of the printer 4
and register the printer 4 to the printer control server 1.
[0127] Furthermore, in the e-mail of the print request, only one of
the text or the attached file may be printable, and the other
thereof may be unprintable.
[0128] Furthermore, when the processing up to S336 mentioned above
is completed in all print jobs to be created depending on the print
request received from the guest terminal 2, the execution result
(success/failure) of all print requests may be transmitted from the
print control server 1 to the guest terminal 2, which is the source
of the print request, by one e-mail.
[0129] Furthermore, in the embodiment mentioned above, an example
has been described in which the printer 4 automatically executes
the print job when receiving the print standby information from the
print control server 1, but, for example, information indicating
the existence of the print job may be displayed on the user I/F 46
of the printer 4 which received the print standby information, and
the printer 4 may execute the print job after waiting for the
execution instruction of the print job by a user.
[0130] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, an example has been
described in which the print control server 1 is constituted by a
plurality of physically independent server computers, the function
of the print control server 1 can also be realized by a single
server computer.
[0131] Furthermore, in regard to a communication protocol between
the printer 4 and the print control server 1, the print standby
information may be transmitted from the print control server 1 to
the printer 4 by a push type protocol (a protocol that does not
requires the demand from a client so as to execute the processing
from the server to the client), a push type communication protocol
different from the XMPP may be used, a part of the communication
using the HTTP may be replaced by another pull type communication
protocol (a protocol in which the processing from the server to the
client is necessarily executed depending on the demand from the
client), and a part of the communication using the HTTP may be
replaced by the XMPP and another push type protocol.
[0132] Furthermore, an example has been described in which the
induction URL includes the job ID so as to associate the print
request with the print control page and the print setting. However,
the job ID as a parameter of the HTTP message may be transmitted or
received between the print control server and the source of the
print request, and the print request may be associated with the
print control page and the print setting by the job ID.
[0133] Furthermore, in regard to the print control page acquired
from the server by the guest terminal, in the e-mail of the print
request, any of the text print control page and the image print
control page may be selectable. Specifically, as the e-mail address
receiving the print request, the e-mail address corresponding to
the text-based print target and the e-mail address corresponding to
the image-based print target may be assigned to the printer, and
the transmission processing of the print control page and the
creation processing of the print job may be divided depending on
the e-mail address received the print request. Furthermore, any of
a predetermined character sting corresponding to the text or a
predetermined character string corresponding to the image may be
described in the text of the e-mail as the print request, and it
may be determined that the print target needs to be processed as
any of the text and the image, by analyzing the text of the e-mail
in the server. Otherwise, the processing may similarly be performed
without distinguishing between the text and the image.
[0134] In addition, in regard to the print control page acquired
from the server by the guest terminal, the layout and the
displaying element are not limited to those described above, and
for example, the preview images of all print targets may be placed
on one screen to individually perform the print setting, and the
print setting may be collectively performed in all print
targets.
[0135] Furthermore, after the print control server 1 transmits the
induction e-mail to the source of the print request, or after the
print control server 1 transmits the print control page to the
source of the print control page demand, in a case where there is
no response for a predetermined time, the timeout processing may be
performed. The timeout processing may be processing of considering
that the print request is cancelled and deleting the data to be
printed, the preview data or the like, and on the contrary, the
timeout processing may be processing of considering that the print
execution demand is made and performing the process after S320
which creates the print job in the print setting set at that time.
In addition, "print setting set at that time" is the initial value
of the print setting in a case where there is no response for a
predetermined time after transmitting the induction e-mail to the
source of the print request.
[0136] Furthermore, the terminal device may receive the instruction
of a user by the use of a mouse, a touch panel or the like, may
receive the instruction by voice by the use of a voice recognition
function, and may receive the instruction by other methods.
* * * * *